Mitchell opposes special land policy

Mitchell used his family to illustrate his point that the sale of land should be open and not because of birthright, or other circumstances. Photo / BOPT

The family circumstances of Tauranga councillor and New Zealand First candidate Clayton Mitchell were used to explain his opposition to the council's proposed Tangata Whenua Land Policy.

Mr Mitchell highlighted potential conflicts by theoretically applying the policy to his own family in which he and his wife adopted his sister's two Maori children after she was killed in a car crash.

He was responding to a submission from Puhirake Ihaka who was speaking on behalf of the Tauranga Moana Tangata Whenua Collective and others during a council hearing on the policy.

By applying the policy to his family, Mr Mitchell said their Maori children would have first rights of refusal to their Mount property if they decided to sell. Their other children would not have the same opportunity.

He used his family to illustrate his point that the sale of land should be open and not because of birthright, or other circumstances.

The policy sets out to provide a framework to assess proposals from iwi and hapu to acquire council-owned land, plus what approach the council should take towards iwi and hapu when it disposed of surplus land.

Two acquisition proposals were on hold awaiting the policy which could be adopted this year, once the council decides how to respond to submissions. The properties were the reserve at the base of Mauao holding the motor camp, hot pools and surf club, and surplus forested land in upper Oropi.

Mr Ihaka said the timing of the policy was appropriate as Tauranga Moana's iwi and hapu were all going through Treaty settlements. It could be part of the land that came back to tangata whenua.

Mr Ihaka was taken aback somewhat by Mr Mitchell's reference to his family, saying the only land they were talking about was land owned by the council. Mr Mitchell explained he was talking hypothetically in which he could not see how any child could have any more rights than another child to family land.

Another submitter, Richard Prince, said the policy sounded good in practice but was a bit of a dog. He warned claims would be tailored to the criteria that was the most beneficial to tangata whenua - gifting the land.